Distributor mechanism with carrier plates



L. MCGIHON 2,835,375

DISTRIBUTOR MECHANISM WITH CARRIER PLATES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 20, 1958 Filed Nov. 16, 1955 IO 37 u INVENTOR. LEONARD M G/HO/V ATTORNEY May 20, 1958 L. M GIHON 2,835,375

DISTRIBUTOR MECHANISM WITH CARRIER PLATES Filed Nov. 16, 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. LEONARD M G/HON ATTORNEY United States Patent r 2,835,375 DISTRIBUTOR MEClllANlSh i Wl'll-l CARRIER PLATES Leonard McGihon, San ilearulro, Calif, assignor to King Sales & Engineering Co., San Francisco, Calif. Application November 16, N55, Serial No. 547,269 3 Claims. (Cl. 198-41) The present invention relates to means for providing a plurality of files of articles such as containers from a single file thereof so that a multiple file parallel feed can be obtained to a desired processing mechanism or mechanisms from a single file feed with any desired number of multiple parallel feed files resulting from the distribution.

It is the general object of the invention to provide improved means for distributing a single file feed of articles into a selected plurality of parallel discharge files.

Another object of the invention is to provide a structure of the above character which can be pre-set to provide a selected ratio between the number of containers or articles in a given one of the parallel files and another.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description of a preferred embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the mechanism.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken in a plane indicated by the line 22 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary plan view similar to Figure 1, but showing the parts at a different position of operation.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary plan view similar to Figures 1 and 3, illustrating a third position of the parts.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary plan view illustrating a feed modifying attachment. Y

Referring to Figure 1', there is illustrated a platform type conveyer which is suitably supported on side frame members 11, and may be driven by conventional means (not shown). For the purposes of the present invention, it is suflicient to understand that the conveyer is driven to move in the direction of the arrows. A frame structure 12 is provided at either side of the conveyer, rising upwardly from the side frame members 11 thereof, and providing a mounting for a suitable file dividing or separating mechanism which includes a pair of upright shafts 13 and 14 carrying meshing gears 18 and journaled in similar bearing units 16 formed in a cross frame structure 17 extending between the frame units 12. Below the frame structures 17 the shaft 13 carries a pair of spaced apart notched discs 23 and a similar pair of discs 24 are carried by the shaft 14. Six container receiving recesses 26 of the discs 23 are formed between radial portions or fingers 27, and similarly six container receiving recesses or notches 28 of the discs 24 are formed between radial portions or fingers 29. The parts are arranged so that the recesses 26 of the discs 23 register with the projections 29 of the discs 24 and vice versa.

At the feed end of the mechanism a pair of guide rails 31 are secured in place above the conveyer 10 to guide the single file of containers or bottles 30 into the rotating discs, and these rails 31 have diverging portions 31a which terminate in straight portions 31b forming the outer rails of a series of parallel rails including two intermediate rails 32 and a center rail 33 forming four parallel discharge paths of movement for the containers 30.

Means are provided for bodily lifting and carrying certain selected articles or containers in the single feed file to a given discharge path or location and for this purpose torn by means of respective similar thin plates 36 and 37. The plates 36 and 37 are detachably secured to the lowercertain of the recesses 26 and 28 are closed at the botmost pair of discs 23 and 24 so that containers entering these recesses ride up on to the platforms 36 and 37 and are bodily carried around until wiped oil by the respective side rails 31a. These carrying plates or platforms can be selectively secured beneath any desired number of recesses 26 and 28 to select the number of containers carried into the outermost paths adjacent the side rails 31b. In the present instance the platforms 36 and 37 are shown underneath three adjacent recesses 26 and 28, so that one-half of the containers handled by each pair of notched discs 23 or 24 will be carried out to the side files, and the remaining containers will travel out normally under control of the'pockets or recesses 26 and 28 and supported by the platform chain 10 which will carry them into the center files between the parallel rails 32 and 33 respectively.

To further control the number of containers received by a disc, a blocking ring or member illustrated at 39 in Figure 5 may be provided in one or more of the recesses 26 in a disc 23 so that no container will be received by this particular recess. In this manner a ratio of containers can be provided in any one or more of the four parallel files, or the distributing mechanism can be adapted to provide three parallel files, or two parallel files.

While I have shown and described a preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be apparent that the invention is capable of modification and variation from the form shown, so that the scope thereof should be limited only by the scope of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. In a single to multiple file distributing mechanism, for articles such as containers, a pair of pocket units, each unit having an endless series of pockets therein and an endless series of article-engaging fingers alternating in position with respect to said pockets, means for mounting said pocket units for movement with a portion of their peripheries in approximate tangency, and with a pocket of one unit mating with a finger of the other unit, means forming a single-file feed path leading to said units, whereby the fingers of one pocket unit place articles in the pockets of the other unit and vice versa., and platform means below certain of said pockets and carried by the associated pocket unit for bodily lifting and carrying a container therein to a discharge point.

' 2. In a single to multiple file distributing mechanism for articles such as containers, 2. pocket unit comprising an endless series of evenly-spaced pockets, means mounting said units for movement through an endless path, means forming a single-file feed path leading to said pocket units to place articles into said pockets, means for forming a plurality of discharge paths for containers in said pockets, including a platform associated with certain pockets for movement therewith and for bodily supporting the containers therein, and means for wiping containers out of said pockets when so supported.

3. In a single to multiple file distributing mechanism for articles, a conveyer having a flat upper surface for supporting and moving the containers therealong, means for forming a single file of containers on said conveyer, and a pocket unit comprising an endless series of evenlyspaced pockets mounted above said conveyer in parallel relation with respect thereto, certain of said pockets having container-supporting means spaced closely adjacent said conveyer and mounted for movement with the pockets, and adapted to receive an article from said conveyer.

Ayars July 4, 1916 Bruce W...- July 8, 1952 

